Replacing the Cabin Air Filters

This maintenance item is inexplicably expensive at dealerships. Doing this job yourself using the cabin filters (AKA pollen filters) available in the online store can save you a nice little chunk of change on your maintenance. Cabin filters should be replaced every year or two, depending on how much you drive your car and what kind of climate you live in. There's no reason not to change them every year aside from cost, and this DIY will show you how to do the job. The cabin air filters can be purchased on their own, or as part of the 2-year service package.

For a quick walk-through showing what's involved, check out this video:

Step 1Remove the leather trim around the glove box. The trim piece is held in place by snaps. Start at one of the bottom ends and pull the trim piece out (toward the seat) to free it. Keep going around the trim piece until all the snaps are loose, then unplug the glovebox release button to free the trim piece completely. Set the trim piece aside.

Step 2Use the Philips-head screwdriver to remove the three screws in the hinge on the underside of the glovebox. Carefully let the glovebox rest out of the way. DO NOT let the nylon cord come from from the glovebox!

Step 3Use the Philips-head screwdriver to remove the four screws holding the plastic glove box trim in place, then pull it free from the dashboard. There is thin foam padding between the plastic and the dashboard, and this may stick to the dashboard and require you to peel the trim piece away from the dashboard. Once free, let it rest on the glovebox out of the way.

Step 4Pop open the white plastic cover to reveal the cabin air filters. Remove the old filters and install new ones.

Step 5Reassemble everything in the reverse order as disassembly: Put the white cover back over the filters, reinstall the glovebox trim with four screws, reinstall the glovebox with three screws, reconnect the glovebox release button, then put the leather trim piece back in place.